As part of President Masoud Barzani’s participating in the 2017 World Economic Forum annual conference, the President had a number of meetings including with the U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden whose friendship of almost two decades has certainly strengthened the bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the United States of America. Vice President Biden and President Barzani reviewed the latest developments with the war against the terrorists of the Islamic State with the former congratulating the Peshmerga forces for their victories against the terrorists.

President Barzani also met with Mr. Borge Brende, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The two sides spoke of the general situation of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the current war on the terrorists of the Islamic State. President Barzani took the opportunity to thank Norway for its support to the Kurdistan Region and expressed his hope that the relations between the Kurdistan Region and Norway will be further enhanced during 2017.